Hosea 8

Evangelical Heritage Version

8 Raise a ram’s horn to your lips!
A vulture is circling over^[a] the Lord’s house,
    because they have broken my covenant
    and rebelled against my law.
² Israel cries out to me,
    “My God, we acknowledge^[b] you!”
³ But, in fact, Israel has rejected what is good.
    An enemy will pursue him.
⁴ They set up kings, but not with my approval.
    They installed officials, but I did not choose^[c] them.
    From their silver and their gold they made idols for themselves,
    so they will be cut off.
⁵ I reject^[d] your calf idol, Samaria!
    My anger burns against these people!
    How long will they be incapable of innocence?
⁶ That thing sitting there is from Israel!
    A craftsman made it, so it is not God.
    Certainly that calf of Samaria will be smashed to pieces!
⁷ Because they sow the wind,
    they will reap the whirlwind.
    The standing grain forms no heads,
    so it will yield no flour.
    Even if it would yield flour, foreigners would swallow it up.
⁸ Israel is swallowed up.
    Now among the nations they are like a pot no one wants.
⁹ For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey all by itself.
    Ephraim has hired lovers.
¹⁰ Even though they hire lovers among the nations,
    I will now gather them together.
    They will begin to suffer in a little while,
    because of oppression by a king with many officials.
¹¹ Ephraim has multiplied his altars for sin offerings,
    but for him they became altars for sinning.
¹² Though I wrote many teachings from my law for them,
    they regarded them as strange.
¹³ They offer sacrifices to me just to get the meat.^[e]
    They sacrifice flesh and eat it,
    but the Lord is not pleased with them.
    Now he will remember their guilt
    and punish their sins.
    They will return to Egypt.
¹⁴ Israel has forgotten its Maker and built palaces.^[f]
    Judah has multiplied its fortified cities,
    but I will send fire on its cities,
    which will devour its citadels.